Loose-leaf binder



T. V. BELL LOOSE LEAF BINDER Nov. s, 1921. l I 1,648,105

Filed April 26. 1926 2/ /2 ./2/ 23 Z5 l v. j I.' I

/f/m/f/ar Hamas K d/ /3 sense as a bound book.

Patented N ov. 8, Y1927.

Unirsesra'rsrs saisies THOMAS," V; BELL, @E ltDlTREisll, QUEBEC, CANADA.

Lesen-:ener strinse.

Applicaties fue@ .apro laas. sen-.e mafie-fires.

sertion or removal ot leaves, thus rendering ita permanent and legal record in the saine `ilic primary obiect o the inyention is to provide a binder in which the leai holding posts are rigidly mounted so that the closurel ineinbers Will invariably nieve into proper operatiye'relation with the ends or the posts and will not require careful manipulation to ensure (vo-operation with the posts.

Another object is to provide binder in which the posts are rigidly mounted and aecessible afboth ends, that is, at the Yfront and back oit the binder, for insertion and reinoi/al et leaves.

y yStill another objectif; to provide av binder with ineens torpositively and permanently locking the saine in closed vposition when it (lesired to inalre the contents ot the binder a` pernianvent record.

` A further object is to provide teatui s as aioitt 'd applicable equally to "a binder ot tired and to an enpansible'binder.

its still further object is to provide a binder ot durable, rugged and simple construction which `will not get out et order, which will be inexpensive to manufacture and which may he operatedquicirly and easily.

additional objects and the'advantages of the invention may .beascertained troni the following description and the accompanying drawings.

Loose leaf binders have been produced iny which thefposts are releasably connected at both ends to the 'front and back cover hinges to perinitL insertion and removal et leaves at both iront and back of thebinder. Diit.- iculty has been experienced :in the operation ot such binders, particularly in closing .the saine, due to the tact that the posts are unsteady because of their releasable connection to whichever hinge is at the inoinentholding there. This unstead-iness et the postspern ruitstheinto nieve relatively to one another,

so thatjn'iuch care inust be exercised to secure proper alignment ot all posts with the Closure men'iber.` ln large binders 'having more than three posts,iattaininent et proper alignn'ient'ot fall posts simultaneously with the( closure member necessitates considerable delicate and tedious manipulation betere the binder can be closed, which is exasperating and wasteful et time'. Also, such binders are neither rugged nor durable, since the unsteadiness ol the posts imposes relatively great stresses on the ends et the posts and on the ineans connecting thein to the closureL ineinbers. '.'lhese stresses are productive oi strains and deloiinations or breakagcs which 'aggrmrate the original disability.

According to the present invention, the

'foregoing disadvantages are entirely ob-'viated by securing `the posts intermediate their in is Y i ends to Lne back or the binder, so that the posts are rigidly supported independently of lthe closure inen'ibers and 'are' niaintained in proper .relation to one another and to the closure members. The latcliing or il'asteningineens ol the closiu'enienibers inay be provided with a readily sever-able operating portion and/or with a positive locking ineans.

`One the inanyy possible embodiments .of the invention is hereinafter described and illustrated, but it is to be understood that the invention not conined to that embodiment either generally or in detail, the sainebeing disclosed tor explanation'and Without limitative intent, butis capable of modification in type and in detail Witijio-ut departing troni the spirit of the invention.

ln the accompanying drawings which illustrate a binder'of fixed siZe-r Fig. l is a plan View of the improved con' struction showing the top cover hinge or post closure raised to open position. y

Fig. 2 an end elevation oil' the construetion shown in higure l. .i

`Fig. 3 is a partial inside ele Yation corresponding to Figures l and 2.

Fig; el is a. cross sectional View eta vcover hinge or postclosure, on an enlarged scale. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary View of a leaf suitable for use vwith the construction shown and illustrates theiorni of post opening.

Referring more particularly tothe accomfi "l panying drawings, 1l designates the back ller of av binder, Whichin the case of the vvtired size binder illustrated yis usually shaped f' ing means for the filler.

and a second leaf 15 which, in the construc tion illustrated, is connected to the back filler 11 by any suitable fastenings. The hinge leaves l are shown as meeting and make it obvious that these leaves may be directly connected t0 one another so as to form,`for all practical purposes, a single member common to the tvvo leaves 14 and` Which common member or its equivalent may be regardedas being the real back of the structure.

A. series of posts 16 are provided extending transversely of the back in spaced relation thereto. These posts are rigidly connected intermediate their ends to .the back.

As illustrated, the connection orV mountingA of each post is effected by means of a thin Web 17 extending nearly the full length of the post and secured to the back by studs 1S passing through the hinge leaves 15 and back filler 11 and upset or clinched over burrs 19 embedded below theouter surface of the filler. Obviously, the studs 1S need not'pass through the filler but may be upset against the outer surfaces of the hinge leaves 15,y as shown in Figure 4, thus serving to connect the hinges independently of any direct connection or any connection established through the filler and enabling the filler to be dispensed with. It will thus be seen that the filler does not of necessity perform any mechanical function and that the extension of thelstuds 18 through it is for the convenience of using them as secur- If desired, independent fastenings 2O may be provided for the filler, and such will of course be necessary if the studs 18 do not pass through the filler. Obviously, separate hinge leaves need not meet or be directly connected, since the posts 16 and supports 17 will serve to connect the leaves. The posts may be of any suitable cross-section and the form of the supports 17 may be varied from the simple web shown.

The hinge leaves 14 are each of flattened tubular form, closed at the ends. Each leaf 14 is Aprovided with openings 21 of size, shape and spacing to receive the ends of the posts 16.v The posts are provided preferably on the sides adjacent the hinge leaves 15,` close to the ends with transverse ynotches 22 extending parallel with the axes of the hinges.

Within each hinge leaf 14 is a latch member 23 common to all the post openings 21. This latch member may be formed and arranged in a variety of ways. In the arrangement shown, the latch member is a bar of vapproximately the same length as the hinge leaf and slidable longitudinally within the leaf. The bar is located at the pivoted edge .of the leaf and extends to approximately the adjacent edges of the post openings 9.1, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3. Pins or rivets 24 passing through the leaf hold the latch bar in position. 'lhe bar carries a plurality of catches equal in number to the number of post openings and so located that by moving the bar longitudinally all the catches may be simultaneously moved into or out of position opposite the post holes, both the positions being shoivn in Figure 1. These catches are of less thickness than the latch bar and located at that surface thereof adjacent the post apertures 21, as clearly shown in Figure 4. These catches are of a thickness to slide into the post grooves when the leaf is closed down on the posts so that ends of the posts project through the openings 21 into the interior of the leaf. yf'he edge and one end of each catch may be bevelled to facilitate its entry into a post groove. The arrangement of the catches on the latch bar is such that when the bar is fully housed in the leaf the catches are opposite the openings 21 and, when the bar is partly Withdrawn, the catches areout of register with the openings.

The latch bar is provided With any suit able form of operating knob by means of Which it may be conveniently manipulated. Preferably, such knob is readily severable from the bar. A satisfactory form of knob is shown at QG'and is formed by bending the bar near its end. This knob is rendered readily severable by means of a groove 2T (Figure 1) extending part way through the bar at the base of the knob and so weakening the material that the knob may be readily broken oil.

At that end 'of each bar opposite the knob, a hook 2S may be provided for engagement by a spring pressed paivl :29 pivoted within the leaf, the hook and pawl being inaccessible by reason of closed end of the leaf. Ordinarily, the knob serves as a stop to limit inward movement of the bar, so that its hook will not pass from under the pawl and permit the same to drop. The pins 24 serve to hold the latch bar against excessive out\vard or withdrawing movement.

The front and back covers of the binder, designated 30, are suitably connected to the leaves 14 of the hinges and the covers, back and leaves 14 are covered with any suitable material indicated at 31.

The leaves to be used in the binder are each provided at one edge with a. series of openings of a shape, size and spacing corresponding to th'e posts and supports of the binder, the corner of a leaf 32 with opening 83 being shown in Figure 5.

The operation of the binder is extremely simple and convenient. Assuming thebinder to be closed, the hinge leaves 14 will be found covering the ends of the posts with the latch bars completely housed in the leaves and the catches engaged in the post grooves,

lll() holding the leaves over the post ends so that sheets cannot be applied to or removed 'from the posts. The'knobs are shroudedin the ends of the hinge leaves and are thereby protected against damage or accidental operation. 'To open the binder at either front or baclnfthe appropriateknob is grasped and the attached latch bar pulled out as far as it will come. This withdraws the catches from the post grooves an'dreleases the hinge leaf, so tliat it may bera'ised to expose the ends of the posts. The `operations 'are reversed to close the hinder. lVhen it is desired to effect a permanent closure, the knobs of both latch bars are broken ofi, thus malring it impossible to grasp and withdraw the bars. latch bars when pushed in as far as they will go advance farther than usual, owing' to absence of the knobs, so that theirend hooks pass under ythe tips of the pawls 28,

which drop in frontof the hooks and positively prevent, subsequent withdrawal of the `latch bars.

supports are of suiiicient widthto spaceyt-lie poets well away from thebaclr, so that ample width of material may be providedbeytween the post holes 33 andthe edges of the sheets 32 to ensure secure binding of the sheets `and freedom from tearing.

All the features of the invention herein described may be incorporated in an expansible binder, the posts .being connectedin such case to the relatively movable parts of the binder back. Modifications may be made in the details of the latching mechanism and in other features or equivalent mechaniems substituted without departing from the spirit of the invention, as aforesaid, wherefore all modifications, substitutions, rearrangements or alterations whatsoever as fall within the scope of the appended claims whether the same are herein specifically contemplated or not are to be deemed as inf eluded in and forming a part of the invention. f t

Having` thus described my invention, what l claim is y l. ln a loose leaf binder, a back, a series of posts each of which is connected intermediate its ends to the back, thereby leaving both ends of the post free for application and removal of leaves, and means hingedly If the locking device is used, the` connected to the back and releasably conspaced away from the "back, means intermediate the endsfof each post rigidly .connect ing' the saniertet 'the back, and meansfhingedly related to the baclrtocover the ends of the posts, said coveringlmeans being adapted for releasable connection tothe ends of the posts and covers hingedly related to the free edges of said hingedmeans. y

In a losse leaf binder, a back, l'ea'fholding posts, means to retain leaves on the posts, sai-d means being,` hin-gedly related to the back and releasably connected to the said hinged means posts, and rigid connections between the I posts and back holding' the posts always in 'position for co-opei'ationwvith the leaf retaining means upon movement thereof into engagement with the post-s.` y

In a loose leaf binder, a back, means hinged to opposite edges ofthe back tocinbrace leaves, a series of posts ydisposed between said hingedmeans and each releasably connected at bothends to said means whereby leaves maybe removed at either front or adjacent their ends, means hingedly related to the back to cover and uncover the ends of the posts, and latch mechanism on said means to engage the post grooves andreleasably hold the said means against 'post-end uncoveringy movement. K

7. In a loose leaf binder, a back, posts connected intermediate their ends to the back, said posts being transversely grooved adjacent their ends, means hingedly related to.

the back to cover and uncover the ends of the posts, and latch mechanism on said means to engage the post grooves and releasably hold the said means against post-end uncovering' movement, and areadily severable operating,` member vfor said latch mechanism whereby upon severance of said operating member the latch. mechanism when in latching position is rendered inaccessible for operation to disengage the posts.

8. ln a loose leaf binder, a back, posts connected intermediate their ends to the back, said postsbeing transversely ,grooved adjacent their ends, means hingedly related to the back to cover and uncover the ends of the posts, latch mechanism on said means to engage in the post grooves and releasably hold the said means against post-end-uneovering movement, a readily severable operating member for said latch mechanism serving to limit movement of the same in one direction, and a positive locking device engageable by said latehingmechanism upon extra normal movement subsequent to severance of theoperating` member.

Y 9. In a loose leaf binder, a back, posts connected intermediate their ends to the back, a tubular closure member hinged to the back and having` apertures therein'to receive the ends of the posts, and a latehing mechanism mounted in the closure member to engage the ends of the posts and releasably hold the closure member thereto.

l0. In a loose leaf binder, a back, posts connected intermediate their ends to Vthe back, a tubular closure member hinged to the baclr and having apertures therein 'to receive the ends of the posts, a latching mechanism mounted in the closure member and operable by movement into said member to engage the posts and releasably hold the closure member thereto, and an operating member for the latching mechanism readily severable therefrom and being the only portion thereof extending beyond the closure member when the latching member is in normal latching position, whereby upon severance of said operating member the latching mechanism is rendered inaccessible for retraction from its normal latehing position to disengage the posts.

and beingthe only portion thereof extending beyond the closure member when the latching member is in normal latching position, whereby upon severance of said operating member the latching mechanism is rendered inaccessible for retraction from vits normal latching position to disengage the posts, said operating member forming a Stop engageable with the closure member to limit latching movementof the latching mechanism, and a positive locking means in the closure member operatively' engageable by the latching mechanism upon extra normal inward movement thereof subsequently to severance of the operating member.

12. In a loose leaf binder, a back, a post connected through the major portion of its lengthto 'the back and having its end portion free for encirelementq and means hingedly related to the back to encircle the end of the post and to be releasably connected thereto to retain leaves on the post.

13. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of hinge members arranged in parallelism, means connected to adjacent leaves of the two hinges transversely thereof, longitudinal enlargements of said connecting means forming leaf holding posts disposed to have their` ends covered by the free hinge leaves and means to latch the free hinge leaves to the ends of the posts and covers hinged to the free edges of the free hinge leaves.

14. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of hinge members arranged in parallelism each ineluding a solid leaf and a tubular apertured leaf, means extending transversely of the solid leaves connecting them together in a single plane, longitudinal enlargements of said connecting means forming leaf holding posts disposed to have their ends received in 4the apertures of the tubular leaves, and means slidably mounted in the tubular leaves to engage the post ends and hold the tubular leaves thereto.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set.

Y my hand. 

